Apr. 24, 2012

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Gannett Wisconsin Media

Gov. Scott Walker told a Gannett Wisconsin Media editorial board Monday he doesn’t regret the budget reforms enacted in 2011 that detractors say have created a civil war in Wisconsin.

But Walker admitted he might have gone about curbing public sector employees’ bargaining abilities in a different manner.

Facing a recall election on June 5, Walker said he and the Legislature fixed problems he said contributed to a $3.6 billion budget deficit before explaining them.

“Usually in politics people talk about problems but never fix them,” Walker said, surrounded by elected officials including several state representatives, a state senator, school board president and the mayor of Plymouth.

Walker said he is running hard to win his recall battle — with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk the leading Democratic Party challengers who will face off May 8.

“I am not afraid to lose … if you are doing things for the right reason, you should never be afraid to lose,” said Walker, who defeated Barrett in November 2010.

Walker said too many politicians “focus on the next election, not the next generation.”

He defended fundraising forays outside Wisconsin. Walker said he wouldn’t be having to “spend or raise a penny” on the recall but for “these special interest, out-of-state unions” contributing to his opponents.

Walker said if he becomes the nation’s third governor in U.S. history to lose his seat while in office it would set back political courage for a decade.

Going forward, the process for building consensus may change, “but we are still willing to take on tough challenges.